A "VERY drunk" man did not take kindly to being refused the use of a toilet at a petrol station.

Tommy Russell, 21, brandished a knife and overturned goods on display at the Murco garage, in Ashford, near Staines, Guildford Crown Court heard.

Police had to be called to the premises in Staines Road to arrest the drunken punter, the court was told on Monday (September 26).

Russell, of Brainton Avenue, Feltham, narrowly escaped being jailed when he appeared for sentence after pleading guilty to affray.

The court heard that the disturbance broke out just before midnight on April 23 this year.

Jill Beale, prosecuting, said that Russell and a companion entered the shop area of the garage and asked to use the public toilets.

"But they were told that the public lavatory was out of order," she said.

Mrs Beale said a request to use the loos, reserved for garage staff, was turned down by the 30-year-old filling station assistant Manilka Jayasingha.

"At this point, the defendant became aggressive," she said.

"Very drunk"

She said he started shouting and pointing his finger menacingly at Mr Jayasingha's nose.

"Then he picked up a Stanley knife from the counter and started waving it around close to the victim's face," she said.

"He smashed a bottle of Scotch and tipped over a display, throwing items behind the counter," continued Mrs Beale.

She said the assistant called the police who arrived on the scene and arrested Russell.

The defendant later admitted he was "very drunk" and added: "I wanted to go to the toilet."

The court was told that Russell had no previous convictions.

Caroline English, defending, said her client acknowledged that his behaviour had been "weird."

But she stressed that Russell had not picked up the knife to threaten the staff member.

"The blade was never extended at any point," she said.

Ms English said her client had got hold of the knife because he was shocked that such a dangerous implement had been left lying around after it had been used by a member of staff to cut tape on some goods.

She said: "My client was saying 'what's this?' He was extremely concerned."

Sentencing the defendant, Judge Michael Addison told him: "You were extremely aggressive. It must have been very frightening for an assistant to face this sort of behaviour."

He added: "Retail assistants are extremely vulnerable and must be protected."

Russell was given a six months jail sentence suspended for two years. He was ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work and ordered to pay £20.20 compensation for the property damaged in the rumpus.